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The early versions of Windows that Microsoft created in the early 1990s represented a
significant improvement to those who had been used to the mostly text-based and
single-tasking environment that DOS represented. (Of course, Microsoft didn't exactly
invent the graphical operating system! They just used their marketing muscle to make
Windows the standard on the PC desktop. But that's a different matter altogether. :^) )
Still, early versions of Windows were very rudimentary in a number of respects. They ran
on top of DOS and were limited to 16-bit applications. Multitasking capability was limited
and problems were frequent.

In 1995, Microsoft introduced Windows 95, which represented the "next step"
towards a comprehensive consumer-oriented graphical operating system for PCs (Windows NT had already been created at the time, but was geared
towards businesses and servers.) Windows 95 is the great "compromise" operating
system. In some respects, it has its own way of handling access to the hard disk, but in
other ways it resembles, and even uses, standard DOS. This is how Windows 95 strives for
performance while retaining compatibility with older software. As
mentioned in the discussion of DOS, Windows 95 in fact includes a version of DOS, that
is designed to work with it and its file structures.

When Windows 95 was released, it came with a new and updated version of the traditional
FAT file system: VFAT. At the same time, Windows 95 was
compatible with older FAT12 and FAT16 partitions and disks The initial version of Windows
95 is now sometimes called "Windows 95A" to distinguish it from later editions,
or "Windows 95 Retail" in recognition of the fact that it was the only revision
of Windows 95 officially sold to the public. It's important to remember that this version
of Windows 95 does not support the now ubiquitous FAT32
file system. Since modern hard disks basically require FAT32 (or NTFS) for reasonably
convenient management, those still running the first version of Windows 95 may need to
consider an upgrade (Windows 98 or Windows ME being the successors to Windows 95, but
certainly not the only choices.)